San Jacinto News-Times - Local News
Copyright 2011 - Polk County Publishing Company

Deputy credited with saving twoSan Jacinto News- Times

COLDSPRING – A San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Deputy has been credited with pulling two drivers to safety, following a fi ery head-on crash on Thursday, Dec. 23. About 6:30 p.m. county deputies responded to a head-on collision at Hwy. 150 West by Lake Road. Upon arrival a silver 2004 Mercedes, driven by Troy Edward Montgomery, 39, of Willis, Texas, and a yellow Ford F- 150 truck driven by Jason Allen Beck, 40, of Livingston, Texas, were on the south side ditch. “The car was on fi re with smoke pouring from it into the truck. Drivers of both vehicles were unable to get out of their vehicles,” San Jacinto County Sheriff James Walters said. “Deputies and citizens worked to keep the fi re down while waiting for the volunteer fi re departments and EMS to arrive,” Walters said. “When fl ames started coming up from underneath the car, San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Kolek pulled the driver out of the car to the side of the road to safety while waiting for EMS as best he could without more injury to the victim,” Walters said. Department of Public Safety (DPS) Trooper Cain arrived on the scene and San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Deputy Lacy ran to his vehicle to grab another fi re extinguisher,” Walters said. “Flames and smoke were so bad that someone grabbed a sledge hammer and knocked the passenger window out of the yellow truck,” Walters said. “Deputy Kolek went in and pulled the driver out of the truck to safety also,” the sheriff said. Both drivers were airlifted to Hermann Memorial Hospital in Houston in serious condition. According to the DPS report, witnesses reported that Montgomery was driving fast and weaving in and out of traffic. “Montgomery attempted to pass three utility trucks without sufficient clearance. Beck took evasive action to the right to avoid a collision and Montgomery took faulty evasive action to the left, hitting Montgomery head-on,” the DPS report states. “Both drivers are alive due to the efforts of Deputy Kolek and others on the scene,” Sheriff Walters said.